Burden Quote by Peter George Peterson
“Unless you reduce the long-term spending burden, you cannot cut taxes in any lasting way, but can only shift the burden of taxes from the present to the future.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public Policy Remarks, 1995, United States Senate
Long‑term fiscal responsibility is required before lasting tax cuts can be achieved; otherwise cuts merely postpone debt.
In simple terms: You must lower spending first to make tax cuts permanent.
Key Takeaway
Reduce spending before cutting taxes.
Themes
fiscal policy
taxation
budgeting
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
policy
economic
When to use this quote
- government budgeting
- tax reform
- public debt management
Key Concepts
public finance
intergenerational equity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance immediate tax relief with long‑term fiscal health?
- What spending cuts are politically feasible?
A Different Perspective
Cutting taxes without spending cuts shifts debt to future generations.
![“In the name of short-term stimulus, he [Obama] will give every American family (who makes less than $200,000) a welfare check of $1,000 euphemistically called a refundable tax credit. And he will so sharply cut taxes on the middle class and the poor that the number of Americans who pay no federal…” quote by Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ede/dick-morris-4948_american-family_in-the-name-of-short-term-stimulus-he-ob_640426.jpg)
